TGS: Rakuga Kids Draws Attention

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Konami's first 2D fighting game is on display at the Tokyo Game Show. Here's what we saw

By IGN Staff

With an art style that is made to look as if everything were drawn with crayons, Konami's Rakuga Kids actually looks more like PaRappa the Rapper than a fighting game. Like Interplay's Clayfigher 63 1/3, the game stars 2D, shape-changing characters in one-on-one combat, but there's a special twist to the "graffiti" element alluded to in the title (Rakuga means graffiti).

As each character fights, a special attack gauge begins filling up on the lower portion of the screen. Once it is completely full, the character will receive one crayon and begin filling up a second and subsequent levels. The special attacks for each character usually involves a character drawing some sort of contraption around his opponent. Once complete, some complex action causes damage to him. For example, one of the characters draws a crane that grabs his opponent, hoists him off the top of the screen and then drops him with great force.

Even at this early stage of the game, character animations are far beyond what Interplay managed in its abysmal 2D fighter and the art direction is distinctive to say the least.

The game is currently considered 70 percent complete but there has not yet been any Japanese release date announced. Konami hasn't officially commented on a possible US release -- though given the sales success of a game as poor as Clayfighter 63 1/3, the game should be a shoe-in.